31st December Women's movement marks 29th anniversary

Accra, May 16, GNA - The 31st December Women's Movement established to help break the cultural status quo that relegated women to the background and made them second-rate citizens on Sunday marked its 29th anniversary.

"Through our efforts, especially in the first decade, the cultural myth that women could not play a leading role in the management of the family unit, raise economic resources for the family and play a role in societal development was broken," a statement issued in Accra on Monday by Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings, President of the Movement said.

The Movement established on May 15, 1982, now stands as a strong symbol of women's emancipation and the role of women in the cultural, social and political development of the country. The anniversary is on the theme: 93Confronting family poverty and social exclusion".

"Women's empowerment initiated by us, has led to the promulgation of several laws to protect women and children's rights," the statement added.

The Movement said it had broken into small scale and large-scale economic activities with many of its members and branches managing small-scale businesses that were bringing economic sustenance to their families and communities.

It has also over the past year offered small loans to its members, particularly in the Western Region to embark on small-scale businesses that would improve the living condition of their families and localities.

"On the larger scale we were proud to finally launch the Nsawam Cannery after almost one-decade of legal battle which sort to question the sweat and toil of our Movement in raising external funding for the project," it noted.

It expressed the hope that in future it would rise significant funding for full-scale production of various canned products and have a target of employing 2,000 workers.

It said the establishment of Nsawam Cannery would also serve as a source of employment for many not just within the movement, but for farmers whose produce would feed the factory, thereby arresting post harvest losses.

The Movement said it had achieved a lot for the women folks even though it encountered several challenges.

The statement said the body would continue to work hard to eradicate relics which continued to inhibit the fundamental human rights of women, especially young women who were betrothed to older men even at birth.

It urged members to be strong in fighting the scourge of poverty, deprivation and political discrimination that confronts them as women folk so that they could help improve the worth of the country.

"We will continue to protect the rights of the under-privileged; culturally, economically, socially and politically. We will identify newer challenges and confront them head on. Our women and children always deserve the best and we cannot compromise on that," the statement said.

The day also marks the International Day of Families.